When the Warriors are at their best is when they don’t play to a script, Golden State beat writer Mark Medina told Dieter Kurtenbach on this week’s episode of the WarriorsHQ podcast.

“It’s not even just, OK, take what the defense gives you, find the open man. I think the Warriors are most dangerous when they’re not running set plays. Steve Kerr, for the most part, because of how talented his guys are, wants them to just be able to react and do their thing and that’s where it becomes the puzzle for Steph, and KD and to some lesser extent, Klay and Draymond: Who is the best option on the floor? Is it Steph even when he’s double teamed? Is it Durant?

“To all these guys, there’s always a case to be made that maybe Steph is being unselfish and statistically he should be shooting more shots and you could say the same thing about Kevin, about Klay … but I think they sometimes overpass and then they get stuck into ‘they have to do this by design’ and then that takes away one of the key threats that makes the Warriors so good: That you don’t know what they’re going to do,” Medina said.

Golden State Warriors’ Kevin Durant (35) looks to pass against the Detroit Pistons during the first quarter of their NBA game at Oracle Arena in Oakland, Calif. on Sunday, March 24, 2019. (Jose Carlos Fajardo/Bay Area News Group)

Noting that these are “champagne problems” for a championship team, Kurtenbach takes an extensive look at Kevin Durant’s essential contributions from the Western Conference finals last season up to Durant’s lax and effective style in the last week.

Durant carried the load during Saturday’s game; Stephen Curry was out and the Warriors were “absolutely steamrolled” by the Mavericks, Kurtenbach said. On Sunday, Durant spent more time assisting, took 11 shots and played an exceptional game against Detroit Pistons.

Technically speaking, this is the lowest number of field goal attempts ever for Durant while wearing a Golden State Warriors uniform and completely healthy, according to Medina.

Kurtenbach points out that Durant’s stepping back into a “facilitator” role coincided with the Warriors having one of their greatest shooting nights of the year.

Golden State Warriors’ Kevin Durant (35) drives past Indiana Pacers’ Bojan Bogdanovic (44) during the first quarter of their NBA game at Oracle Arena in Oakland, Calif. on Thursday, March 21, 2019. (Jose Carlos Fajardo/Bay Area News Group)

Looking at the groove the Warriors entered in a two-game trip against Boston Celtics and Houston Rockets with Durant out, Kurtenbach concludes that Durant must have rejoined the pack eager to keep the energy flowing. Nodding to Durant’s tone shifting more jovial in post-game news conferences, Kurtenbach and Medina wonder whether it’s because Durant has made peace with his impending free agency and fellow teammate Draymond Green.

“He might have taken it to the next level against Detroit on Sunday, but again, it worked out so well. I think that the only thing you can take umbrage with is that it is kind of a waste of Kevin Durant’s skillset. That you have a system so strong and so powerful and so effective, that Kevin Durant, one of the greatest scorers in NBA history, almost benefits it more, by just kind of playing as a facilitator.”